The house in the lonely woods was smoking. In an attempt to allude a hungry owl, a mother raccoon and her kits – which clung to her sides like a saddle bag – jumped from a tree and scurried inside a chimney. Her claws found nothing to dig into, so she slid all the way …
Author: carolzarych
Pigeon
There sat a pigeon, gray and battered, looking like it had seen a death or two in its lifetime. Nowhere to be, nothing to do, it sat alone against the winter’s wind. There passed Donna, in no hurry to get back to her desk to continue working. She stopped to get a good look at …
Beauty and the Beast – The Untold Story
The ad said: Live-in help wanted. Daily light cleaning, three-meal cooking, and grounds upkeep. Will provide room and board. There was no address because it was in the middle of a forest where no streets ran. But everyone knew where the prince lived, and it was he who put out the advertisement. René swiped the …
Totopo Negro
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. Xabier and Zadé had just completed their task of doing nothing when hunger struck. Xabier walked into the kitchen and groaned, “Oh, I’m so hungry!” Zadé clutched his stomach in mockery and cried theatrically, “If I don’t eat anything soon, I’ll absolutely perish!” Both punched each other in the …
The Crime
This red-head can see into my soul; through the flesh and bone. She knows what I’ve done. The guilt audibly churns my stomach. The screeching wheels of the subway are louder, so only I am aware of how uncomfortable I am. The red-head knows, too. I try to pin my eyes to an object outside …
Imhotep: That’s Life For Ya
The spirits of Egyptian past swirled around Imhotep. He gagged on the dust that consumed him like a heavy morning fog. Sheesh, when was the last time these guys used lotion? He swatted at the dusty spirits like flies, but they continued to harass the immortal priest. Imhotep was twisted and pulled like a Bop-It …
Myotis Lucifugus
The Stirthenstill graveyard was the epicenter of spooky in the town of Auno. People have been known to drop dead visiting the grave of a loved one, crows were frequently seen circling over mausoleums, flashlights and lanterns would arbitrarily stop working only to turn back on outside the gates, and bats were sometimes found sleeping …
Lucy
Lucy Furr sat outside the principal's office awaiting her third scolding of the week. This time it was for turning Vara Chiel's milk into goat's blood. She swung her dangling legs back and forth with her hands squished under her thighs, staring blissfully at a far corner where the sterile white walls met the ceiling. …
Dala
As a young girl, Éden had a joyous life. She and her family loved each other, her large group of friends shared everything, good grades were easy to achieve, and life was full of promises. As a teenager, the bright light quickly faded. It began with her brother succumbing to a mysterious illness, then her …
Monster Under the Bed
“Damon!” “DAMON!” Nine year old Damon went running into his mom’s room. He flicked on the bedroom light which momentarily blinded and stunned his mom. Six year old Héléna followed behind her brother. “Damon! It’s in here,” shrieked the mother of two. “It’s in my closet!” The boy took his mom’s hand in both of …
Short Stories For the Strange and Unusual 